1. Technical Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electro-optic device, for example, a liquid crystal display device and an EL device, to a manufacturing method for the electro-optic device, and to electronic equipment using the electro-optic device.
2. Description of the Related Art
The liquid crystal display device, which is an example of the electro-optic devices, generally has a configuration in which a pair of substrates made of a glass substrate, etc., are adhered to each other with a seal member therebetween, and a liquid crystal is encapsulated between the both substrates. Furthermore, a liquid crystal display device including color filters matching a plurality of colors, for example, R (red base), G (green base), and B (blue base), and a reflection layer placed on the side opposite to the observation side with respect to the liquid crystal has been known. In the reflective liquid crystal display device of this kind, external light, for example, sunlight and room illumination light, incident from a substrate on the observation side is reflected at the surface of the reflection layer, and is emitted to the observation side after passing through the color filter. This emission light is visually identified by an observer as a color image.
However, the sensitivity of the human eye (that is, spectral luminous efficacy) varies depending on each wavelength within the visible-light region. More specifically, the human eye has a characteristic that the sensitivity is high with respect to the light having a wavelength on the order of 550 nm corresponding to green-based light, but on the other hand, the sensitivity is low with respect to the light having other wavelengths. Therefore, there has been a problem in that the observer has felt unevenness in the color balance in such a manner, for example, even when the light having been passed through a color filter of each color of blue-based, red-based, and green-based, and having been emitted to the observation side has had the same quantity of light, the blue base and the red base has appeared dark compared to the green base. This problem is a problem that may also occur in a so-called semitransparent reflective liquid crystal display device capable of transmissive display in addition to reflective display.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the aforementioned circumstances. Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide an electro-optic device, in which the intensity of the light detected by an observer can be adjusted with respect to each wavelength within the visible-light region, a manufacturing method therefor, and electronic equipment.
In order to achieve the aforementioned objects, an electro-optic device according to the present invention includes a plurality of color filters, each having a different color, and a reflection layer in which the surface shape of the region facing at least one of the aforementioned color filters and the surface shapes of the regions facing the other aforementioned color filters are different.
According to this electro-optic device, by differentiating the surface shapes of the regions facing the color filters of respective colors in the reflection layer, the mode of reflection in each region, for example, the degree of scattering on the reflection layer surface, etc., can be changed arbitrarily. Therefore, the color balance of display visually identified by the observer can be arbitrarily selected by adjusting the quantity of light visually identified by the observer with respect to each wavelength corresponding to the color of the color filter.
(2) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, the mirror reflectivity of the aforementioned region facing the aforementioned at least one of the aforementioned color filters can be differentiated from the mirror reflectivities of the aforementioned regions facing the other aforementioned color filters.
According to this, regarding the region having a high mirror reflectivity in the reflection layer, since scattering on the surface thereof can be suppressed and the quantity of light mirror-reflected can be increased, well-lighted display can be realized with respect to the color of the color filter facing the aforementioned region. On the other hand, regarding the region having a low mirror reflectivity, since scattering on the surface thereof can be accelerated and the quantity of light mirror-reflected can be reduced, brightness of display can be reduced with respect to the color of the color filter facing the aforementioned region.
(3) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, a plurality of crest portions and a plurality of trough portions can be formed on the surface of the aforementioned reflection layer, in which the shapes thereof in the aforementioned region facing the aforementioned at least one of the aforementioned color filters are different from the shapes thereof in the aforementioned regions facing the other aforementioned color filters.
According to this configuration, the scattering characteristic on each region in the reflection layer can be differentiated without being attended with complication of the configuration. Therefore, the quantity of light visually identified by the observer can be adjusted in accordance with a wavelength corresponding to the color of each color filter.
(4) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, the average value of the pitches defined as the distance between the top of one of the crest portions and the top of other crest portion adjacent to the crest portion in the region facing the aforementioned at least one of the aforementioned color filters can be differentiated from those in the aforementioned regions facing the other aforementioned color filters.
In this case, regarding the region having a large average value of the pitches, since scattering on the surface thereof can be suppressed and the quantity of light emitted to the observer side can be increased, well-lighted display can be achieved with respect to the color corresponding to the aforementioned region. Conversely, regarding the region having a small average value of the pitches, since scattering on the surface thereof is accelerated and the quantity of light visually identified by the observer is reduced, intensity can be reduced with respect to the color corresponding to the aforementioned region.
(5) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, the aforementioned depths of the trough portions can be made substantially the same in the regions facing the aforementioned plurality of color filters in the aforementioned reflection layer.
(6) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, the aforementioned average value of the depths of the trough portions in the aforementioned region facing the at least one of the aforementioned color filters can be differentiated from those in the aforementioned regions facing the other aforementioned color filters.
In this case, regarding the region having a small average value of the depths of the trough portions, since scattering on the surface thereof can be suppressed and the quantity of light emitted to the observer side can be increased, well-lighted display can be achieved with respect to the color corresponding to the aforementioned region. Conversely, regarding the region having a large average value of the depths of the trough portions, since scattering on the surface thereof is accelerated and the quantity of light visually identified by the observer is reduced, intensity can be reduced with respect to the color corresponding to the aforementioned region.
(7) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, in which the average values of the depths of the trough portions are made to differentiate with respect to each region facing the color filter, the pitches defined as the distance between the top of one of the aforementioned crest portions and the top of other aforementioned crest portion adjacent to the crest portion can be made substantially the same in the regions facing the aforementioned color filters in the aforementioned reflection layer.
(8) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, in which a plurality of crest portions and trough portions are formed on the surface of the reflection layer, the average value of the inclinations between the surface of a substrate and the direction from the top of the aforementioned crest portion toward the bottom of the trough portion adjacent to the crest portion in the aforementioned region facing the aforementioned at least one of the aforementioned color filters can be differentiated from those in the aforementioned regions facing the other aforementioned color filters.
In this case, regarding the region having a small average value of the inclinations, since scattering on the surface thereof can be suppressed and the quantity of light emitted to the observer side can be increased, well-lighted display can be achieved with respect to the color corresponding to the aforementioned region. Conversely, regarding the region having a large average value of the inclinations, since scattering on the surface thereof is accelerated and the quantity of light visually identified by the observer is reduced, intensity can be reduced with respect to the color corresponding to the aforementioned region.
(9) Another electro-optic device according to the present invention includes (I) a red-based color filter, (II) a green-based color filter, (III) a blue-based color filter, and (IV) a reflection layer including a first region facing the aforementioned red-based color filter, a second region facing the aforementioned green-based color filter, and a third region facing the aforementioned blue-based color filter, wherein (V) the surface shape of the aforementioned third region is different from each surface shape of the aforementioned first region and the aforementioned second region, and (VI) the mirror reflectivity of the aforementioned third region is higher than each of the mirror reflectivities of the aforementioned first region and the aforementioned second region.
In general, the spectral luminous efficacy of the human eye varies depending on light of each wavelength within the visible-light region. In particular, the spectral luminous efficacy with respect to green-based light is usually remarkably higher than the spectral luminous efficacy with respect to blue-based light. Therefore, when the mirror reflectivity of the region corresponding to the blue base in the reflection layer is made higher than the mirror reflectivities of the regions corresponding to the red base and the green base as in the aforementioned configuration, it is possible to hinder the color balance in display detected by the observer from becoming uneven due to the difference in the spectral luminous efficacy.
(10) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, in which the mirror reflectivity of the third region corresponding to the blue base is made higher, the mirror reflectivity of the aforementioned first region corresponding to the red base can be made higher than the mirror reflectivity of the aforementioned second region corresponding to the green base.
In general, the spectral luminous efficacy with respect to red-based light is lower than the spectral luminous efficacy with respect to green-based light. Therefore, when the mirror reflectivity of the region corresponding to the red base in the reflection layer is made higher than the mirror reflectivity of the region corresponding to the green base, it is possible to make the color balance in display due to the difference in the spectral luminous efficacy even.
(11) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, in which the values of mirror reflectivity are made to vary in accordance with each color, (I) a plurality of crest portions and a plurality of trough portions can be formed in the aforementioned first region, the aforementioned second region, and the aforementioned third region on the surface of the aforementioned reflection layer, (II) the depths of the aforementioned trough portions can be made substantially the same in the aforementioned first region, the aforementioned second region, and the aforementioned third region, (III) the pitch is defined as the distance between the top of one of the aforementioned crest portions and the top of other crest portion adjacent to the crest portion, and (IV) the average value of the pitches in the aforementioned third region can be made larger than each of the average values of the pitches in the aforementioned first region and the aforementioned second region.
In general, the spectral luminous efficacy of the human eye generally becomes highest with respect to green-based light, and is reduced with respect to red base and blue base in that order. Therefore, from the viewpoint of ensuring evenness in the color balance in display detected by the observer, it is desirable that the average value of the pitches in the third region corresponding to the blue base is made larger than the average values of the pitches in the other regions as in the aforementioned configuration.
(12) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, in which the average value of the pitches in the third region corresponding to the blue base is made large, furthermore, the average value of the pitches in the aforementioned first region corresponding to the red base can be made larger than the average value of the pitches in the aforementioned second region corresponding to the green base.
(13) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, (I) a plurality of crest portions and a plurality of trough portions are formed in the aforementioned first region, the aforementioned second region, and the aforementioned third region on the surface of the aforementioned reflection layer, (II) the average value of the depths of the aforementioned trough portions in the aforementioned third region is made smaller than each of the average values of the depths of the trough portions in the aforementioned first region and the aforementioned second region and, furthermore, (III) the pitches defined as the distance between the top of one of the aforementioned crest portions and the top of other aforementioned crest portion adjacent to the crest portion can be set at substantially the same in the aforementioned first region, the aforementioned second region, and the aforementioned third region.
According to this configuration, by making the average value of the depths of the trough portions in the region facing the blue-based color filter in the reflection layer smaller than the average values of the depths of the trough portions in the regions facing the red-based and green-based color filters in the reflection layer, the color balance in display detected by the observer can be evened.
(14) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, in which the average value of the depths of the trough portions in the third region corresponding to the blue base is set to be small, furthermore, the aforementioned average value of the depths of the trough portions in the first region corresponding to the red base can be made smaller than the aforementioned average value of depths of the trough portions in the second region corresponding to the green base.
(15) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, when the angle between the surface of the aforementioned substrate and the direction from the top of the aforementioned crest portion toward the bottom of the trough portion adjacent to the crest portion is defined as inclination, the average value of the inclinations in the aforementioned third region can be made smaller than the average values of the inclinations in the aforementioned first region and the aforementioned second region. According to this, the color balance in display detected by the observer can be evened.
(16) In the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, in which the average value of the inclinations in the third region corresponding to the blue base is made small, furthermore, the average value of the inclinations in the aforementioned first region can be made smaller than the average value of the inclinations in the aforementioned second region.
(17) Electronic equipment according to the present invention is provided with the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configurations. As described above, since the quantity of light having a wavelength corresponding to each color of the color filters can be adjusted by the electro-optic device according to the present invention, unevenness in the color balance is suppressed and excellent display is realized in the electronic equipment provided with this electro-optic device.
(18) A manufacturing method for an electro-optic device according to the present invention provided with a surface shape, a reflection layer placed on the aforementioned surface shape, and a plurality of color filters, each having a different color, placed on the aforementioned reflection layer, includes the step of forming the aforementioned surface shape, the step of forming the reflection layer on the aforementioned surface shape in order to cover the aforementioned surface shape and the step of forming the aforementioned plurality of color filters on the aforementioned reflection layer, wherein the aforementioned surface shape of the region facing at least one of the aforementioned color filters and the aforementioned surface shapes of the regions facing the other aforementioned color filters are different.
According to the electro-optic device obtained by this manufacturing method, since the quantity of light visually identified by the observer can be adjusted with respect to each wavelength corresponding to the color of the color filter, the color balance in display visually identified by the observer can be selected arbitrarily.
(19) In the manufacturing method for the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, in the step of forming the aforementioned surface shape, (I) a resin layer including a plurality of crest portions and a plurality of trough portions on the surface thereof is formed, and (II) the aforementioned surface shape of the region facing the aforementioned at least one of the aforementioned color filters and those of the regions facing the other aforementioned color filters are different in the resin layer.
According to this, the surface of the reflection layer formed on the surface of the resin layer can be made into the shape incorporated with the crest portions and trough portions on the resin layer surface. That is, by using the resin layer capable of being processed with ease, the electro-optic device, in which the color balance in display visually identified by the observer has been adjusted, can be manufactured without the need for complicated manufacturing steps.
(20) In the manufacturing method for the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, in the step of forming the aforementioned surface shape, the aforementioned resin layer can be formed in order that the average value of the pitches, which is the distance between the top of one of the aforementioned crest portions and the top of other crest portion adjacent to the crest portion, in the region facing the aforementioned at least one of the aforementioned color filters is different from those in the regions facing the other aforementioned color filters.
(21) Furthermore, in the manufacturing method for the electro-optic device having the aforementioned configuration, in the step of forming the aforementioned surface shape, the aforementioned resin layer can be formed in order that the aforementioned average value of the depths of the trough portions in the region facing the aforementioned at least one of the aforementioned color filters is different from those in the regions facing the other aforementioned color filters.